


The Levantine

by WiccidWrytings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Crusades, Historical Fantasy, Multi, Science Fiction, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-06 04:55:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18844069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiccidWrytings/pseuds/WiccidWrytings
Summary: A 900 year old knight comes to terms with his long life and his deeds in it. Filled with blood, pain, love, loss, and every other cliche' from every journey story he knows of, his life certainly has been an adventure. From squire to knight to baron to immortal instrument of death we follow his life and undeath. Can he find solace and peace at the end? Let's find out.





	1. Prologue and Chapter 1: Brothers

The Levantine

Prologue:  
September 13, 2137 Citadel of Acre, 1845 hours

The air was cool against his face as he leaned back against the ancient wall. Something in the air brought him back to a time when things were simpler. A time when he knew who the enemy was. A time when he knew who God was. A time when he knew who he was. God that was a long time ago. He shifted his weight and out of unconscious habit, took his left hand and pulled back on the hilt of the sword that has been on his side for so long that it was a part of him. It had been so long since he had been to the Levant. As he put his head against the stone, weathered with time, he closed his eyes and tasted the dust in the air. He chuckled to himself, “Would anyone else alive even know what the Levant was?”

“A few” came the husky reply from the one a few feet to his left. The other one stood on the rampart gazing out into the dusk. Without turning around or raising his voice he spoke softly to the man against the wall, “Rest now, Sir Marick. They will be ready in a few hours. All of this, all the death, will be over soon. Then we can all rest.”

Without opening his eyes Sir Marick Levantine let out a breath as he spoke, “God willing”

“Ha, now that would be a miracle wouldn’t it? You, believing in God again.” The other smiled to himself and with the noise of a cloak in the wind jumped off the rampart into the night.

As the ancient knight allowed himself to drift into an uneasy sleep, his mind wandered back to a time in which he did believe, both in himself and in the divine.


	2. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marick remembers one of the most important days of his life. One that changed everything.

Chapter 1   
Brothers  
July 12, 1288 Citadel of Akko Midway between None and Vespers

“I can’t believe God would want to be here. It’s too damned hot.” The French born knight took his water skin out, poured some over his heavily mailed shoulders, and listened to it sizzle in the arid sun. He could feel the moisture seeping through the links and into the thick padding underneath. He looked to squire next to him. The Hospitaller laughed at his compatriot. A tall man with a lean build. He was walking much lighter than his hot friend. He wore only the hard leather and scale plate chest protection and silk sleeves popular with the Saracen noble warriors. If it weren’t for the golden surcoat with the red lizard of his father on the shoulders, you’d swear he was one of those devil guided demons of the sun. “Why aren’t you melting in this? You aren’t a hell spawn, are you?”

The lean man gave a nervous grin. He couldn’t tell him that he was indeed a spawn of hell, or at least what he would call the spawn of hell. Though his father was indeed a titled noble and allowed him all the rights and privileges that entails, he was still a bastard. A bastard of a Saracen mother. One his father took by force. If anyone outside of the house knew, he would be tossed out of the Order and drug through the streets. Not only that but his father would be stripped of title and land. Not for raping a Muslim, but for hiding the offspring and raising it as a true Christian. He brushed that aside, “No, just half. I was born here remember. Now, isn’t Brother Doran waiting on us at the chapel?”

The older warrior laughed at that, “Who’s the squire and who’s the knight? Shouldn’t I be telling you to hurry up?”

They came to the corner of where the road opened into the market and the smell of civilization hit them full force. It was a smell Rene’, whose father was a rich land owner from the country near Orleans, never much cared for. He preferred the herbs of the hills. Marick looked past the dusty roads and stalls before he found what he was looking for. A short distance past the last lamb fire he saw another man of a build similar to his except a little meatier. He wore the same surcoat as him except his lizard was blazoned on the front and back instead of the shoulders and he wore the full hauberk and arms of a proper Crusading knight. He was standing next to a small monk wearing the colors of the Templars. They were flanked by a small contingent of soldiers in a mix of Templar white and Balcrest gold. He gently tapped his knight mentor on the arm and pointed to the gathering. “Well sir, not to overstep my bounds but I believe we should get over there. They don’t look pleased.”

Sir Rene’ de Orleans mockingly smacked his squire on the back of the head with a laugh and straightened his sword belt before taking his position to the front of his stead. “Well come on then lad, let’s get this over with. The Master wants them inside the wall by sunset.”

The two gathered themselves and walked over toward the entourage of the messenger. The knight was the first to see them approach and guided the priest’s eyes over toward the two men approaching. When they got to within Hearing range the knight approached the Hospitaller, “God be with you Sir, are you our escort to the Citadel? Where are all your sergeants? And what of your horses? If this is some kind of joke I do not find it funny.” He then took a protective position in front of the priest and uneasily scanned the crowd who seemed used to large groups of armed men and gave them no heed. He placed his hand on his sword hilt and stood uneasy. Rene’ raised his hands and tried to give off an air of calm. “Please, please good Sir, there is no need for all that. We are inside one of God’s protected cities you are safe.”

The knight appeared unimpressed, “Tell that to Latakia and Maraclea. They were supposed to be protected by God and now, thanks to Qalawun, lie in smoldering ruin. We do not take anything for granted.”

“Good point Sir, however, here in Akko, the Master and Commander has decided that within the walls we practice peace and give the populace safety in calmness.”

“Unless they kneel before the cross I will not trust them. These…people, they do not appear to bear Christ. Do you allow the unfaithful to practice inside the walls? How dare you allow such Muslim filth the protection of God.”  
Rene’ thought how best to answer, and in hindsight it might have been a miscalculation of the Senechal to pick him for this mission; or an exact calculation. He chose to go with his usual style of answer, “Well good Sir, whom you trust is up to you. As for the rest, yes Muslims who pay the tax are allowed to worship in certain parts of the city. Also, these are not Muslim, these fine folk here are Druze and are allowed the same as the Muslims as long as the tax is paid. Now, unless you plan on cutting down all these commoners, shall we continue with our tasks and find out why we are all here? Brother Doran, I know him and know why he’s here, but as for you, I am not familiar.” Rene’ stepped in front of the visiting knight and looked up to him as the visitor was at least a head taller. “However, I can’t help but notice the resemblance to you and my squire along with his arms, that he might in fact know you. Esquire, would you mind enlightening me?”

Marick stepped forward and gestured to the knight in front of him, this is Sir Clarence Balcrest, Baron of Cristfort and heir of Earl Balcrest. Also, my brother.”

“Half-brother you half bred whelp. You may have come from my father’s loins but that does not make you my kin.” Clarence huffed back behind the priest before continuing, ensuring to make it known he was addressing the knight and not the squire, “I am on mission from my Lord Father. He wishes a gift to both your order and his bastard. I was also tasked with escorting the good Brother from Cyprus to Akko and back. So, I formerly ask for hospitality for the Brother, myself, and our men.”

“It is given. Now follow us and stay close, wouldn’t want these infidels to steal your soul or your purse along the way.”

The foreign knight gave word to his men and they formed around him and the priest and started walking towards the inner castle of the Citadel. The two-man escort walked ahead of the group.   
“He doesn’t seem to like you much. Why is that?”

“Hmmph, he is mad that father was unfaithful while he was supposed to be fighting a holy war. He feels that my existence is an affront to his mother. He also doesn’t like that father likes me better, but you know, rules say that he gets everything. He has everything except the one thing he wants. Our father’s love. I avoid him when I can, which is easy now that I am here and he is back in England. However, I usually let it go since he sort of has a point. It is partly his fault though. He is an ass.”

With that Rene’ merely nodded then they finished the short trek from wall to castle in silence before being allowed entry into the courtyard and arranging with the stewards, quarter for the men at arms and with the Senechal for the nobles’ chambers.

Knights’ Chambers Citadel   
1 hour before Vespers

Marick took Rene’s surcoat off and draped it over the rack next to the unlit hearth. The small stone room was still lit by the sunlight. It was smaller than the quarters the squire had grown up in at his father’s now brother’s estate at Cristfort, but it was still better than the page and squires’ quarters that he stayed in before being assigned to Rene’ as prime squire. That was three years ago. Rene’ put his arm around Marick, “Never thought it would be like this did you? Promise of glory and honor in the name of God and Kingdom and yet here you are, a grown man in the desert, undressing another grown man without sex or even a hint of a kiss or reach around.”

Marick patted Rene’ on the butt, “Well I could give you a little hand if that is what you really want.”

“You do that, and you’ll find a point in your throat.”

“Exactly.” 

Rene’ grabbed Marick by the shoulder and threw him across the room. Knocking over the washbin and a chair along the way. He instinctively couched and rolled ending up back on his feet. Both men started to laugh and Rene’ chuckled at his squire, “Well at least something I taught you has stuck. That roll was almost good.”

Their laughter quickly subsided after a loud pounding on the door echoed throughout the chamber. Sir Rene’ went behind his dressing curtain and reached for the clean clothes that were draped over it. He looked toward Marick and with a shooing wave of his hand gestured his servant to get the door while he dressed.

The squire opened the door and at first didn’t see anyone, then he looked down and saw Walter, his favorite page, standing before him. Walter almost fell over as he snapped to, “Uh, Sir, I mean uh, squire, uh.”

“Marick is fine Walter, now what do you need?”

“Oh of course Si…Marick. The Master requests Sir Rene’ and yourself join him in the small hall after Vesper prayers for a meal with our guests. It is semi-formal. Banquet uniform, daggers no sidearms.”

“Thank you, Walter. see you in a little while. Run along back to the hall now.”

He closed the door then went back into the chamber. “So, what’s going on?”

“You might have to change again. We’re having supper with the company.”

“Joy, alright then, hand me the cloak out of the armoire please.”

The men finished getting dressed then headed toward the chapel for prayer. 

After evening prayer, the knight and squire entered the small council hall of the citadel. The Master and the other officers sat at the head table with Lord Balcrest and his entourage sitting off to the side at the guest table. Oddly, they were not at the main guest table. The two men then saw why. The King’s representatives were occupying the seats of honor and looked rather bored at being here. 

The men walked to the center of the room and Marick seemed much smaller than his large frame as everyone in the room was staring at him. The Master spoke first, “Sir Rene’, you may take your seat. This meeting is for your squire, Mr. Balcrest.”

At that, Rene’ bowed and took his place amongst the other order knights at their tables. Marick’s brother also visibly shifted at the use of the name Balcrest. Marick stood as straight as he could awaiting whatever the Master wanted with him. The Master gestured to the Balcrest contingent, “First, your father has a gift for you.”

Clarence waved to one of his underlings indicating he wanted no part in the ceremony. The underling came forward carrying a long item wrapped up in the Balcrest gold and red. On the middle a black ribbon was wrapped with the red lizard emblazoned on it.

Marick accepted it with bow then unwrapped the package. It was a beautiful long sword with the traditional crusader hilt and pommel. The hilt was gold plated with a red carbuncle inlaid in the pommel. Around the stone, the family words “Officium in caritate” were etched. He glanced toward the Balcrest contingent and thanked them. Next, a member of the King’s group arose and walked to Marick and placed a black shield with the white cross of the hospitaller on it. Again Marick thanked the king’s men.

“Finally, there is this.” The Master’s assistant brought forward a folded package that held a new coat of mail and the hospitaller surcoat. “Eat well this night esquire, for tomorrow you fast in the chapel and cleanse yourself for initiation unto the order.”

With this proclamation, Marick smiled as Sir Rene’ and the other knights raised their gasses in one hand and pounded the table with the other. “Here, here. Come squire eat with us for on the morrow you shall be our brother”


End file.
